Nord-Lock Introduces X-series Washers

Press Release

Monday, January 14, 2013

Nord-Lock adds a new dimension of safety to bolt security with the launch of the Nord-Lock X-series washer. X-series combines Nord-Lock’s unmatched wedge-locking protection against spontaneous bolt loosening (due to vibration and dynamic loads) with an exclusive spring effect that protects against slackening due to settlement and relaxation.

With new technologies and demands, joints increasingly have to withstand stresses from multiple fronts, including vibration, dynamic loads, settlement and relaxation. Yet, no solutions on the market have previously been designed to secure bolts from all of these at once. This has left designers with the difficulty of figuring out which issue — spontaneous bolt loosening or slackening — will have the biggest effect on the joint, and choosing a solution to handle that single problem. Now, there is no need to compromise. Nord-Lock X-series ensures total bolt security while simplifying design and maintenance since there is no need to use and stock multiple solutions.

The principle of Nord-Lock X-series washers includes multiple functions that act on the bolted joint to maintain preload and prevent spontaneous bolt loosening.

How it Works:

As with Nord-Lock’s original washers, each washer pair has cams on one side and radial teeth on the opposite side to secure the bolted joint with tension instead of friction. The Nord-Lock X-series washers’ conical shape also creates an elastic reserve in the bolted joint to compensate for the loss of preload and prevent slackening.

“Since we work closely with our customers we can react to the trends in application design, and this product is the result of our goal to design a system that would eliminate insecurity. When you cannot say with certainty whether spontaneous bolt loosening or slackening would be the bigger issue or when both could be equal risks, there is now a solution on the market” explains Maxime Thonnerieux, Development Director of the new product. “Beyond vibration and dynamic loads, Nord-Lock X-series allows us to serve customers with a multitude of other challenging application areas, such as painted or powder-coated surfaces, soft metals, composites and polymers. The Nord-Lock X-series offers exciting new possibilities for application design.”

Officially released during a live broadcast at the InnoTrans exhibition in Berlin, Nord-Lock’s X-series has already received praise from participants of a select early adopter group, as well as from clients who immediately ordered the new product after its global release.